An approximation is of practical interest whenever an exact approach is not available or is too complicated to be used. Kinematic properties of wave propagation in orthorhombic media are generally more complicated than in transversely isotropic media — an issue that emphasizes the necessity of proper approximate equations that keep a balance between accuracy and simplicity. Exact phase velocity equation in orthorhombic media is algebraically too complicated for some practical purposes, even after acoustic assumption. Although the exact phase velocity equation is readily calculated, there is not an explicit equation for the exact group velocity as a function of group angle nor for the traveltime as a function of offset. Accordingly, we have developed new approximate phase velocity, group velocity, and moveout equations for acoustic orthorhombic media in a simple and uniform functional form. They fit to their corresponding exact kinematic properties, within and outside the orthorhombic symmetry planes. We find a higher accuracy of our approximations compared with other existing approximations in a variety of orthorhombic models. As an example, we convert our phase velocity approximation to a dispersion relation in the frequency domain and use it for wavefield modeling in a heterogeneous orthorhombic model. Our dispersion relation is simpler and more accurate than the original equation being in use in the wave extrapolation modeling by low-rank approximation.
Quasi S-wave propagation in low-symmetry anisotropic media is complicated due to the existence of point singularities (conical points) — points in the phase space at which slowness sheets of the split S-waves touch each other. At these points, two eigenvalues of the Christoffel tensor (associated with the quasi S-waves) degenerate into one and polarization directions of the S-waves, which lay in the plane orthogonal to the polarization of the quasi longitudinal wave, are not uniquely defined. In the vicinity of these points, slowness sheets of the S-waves have complicated shapes, leading to rapid variations in polarization directions, multipathing, and cusps and discontinuities of the shear wavefronts. In a tilted orthorhombic medium, the point singularities can occur close to the vertical, distorting the traveltime parameters that are defined at the zero offset. We have analyzed the influence of the singularities on these parameters by examining the derivatives of the slowness surface up to the fourth order. Using two orthorhombic numerical models of different shear anisotropy strength and with different number of singularity points, we evaluate the complexity of the slowness sheets in the vicinity of the conical points and analyze how the traveltime parameters are affected by the singularities. In particular, we observe that the hyperbolic region associated with the singularity points in a model with moderate to strong shear anisotropy spans over a big portion of the slowness surfaces and the traveltime parameters are strongly affected outside the hyperbolic region. In general, the fast shear mode is less affected by the singularities; however, the effect is still very pronounced. Moreover, the hyperbolic region associated with the singularity points on the slow S-wave affects the slowness surface of the fast mode extensively. In addition, we evaluate a relation between the slowness surface Gaussian curvature and the relative geometric spreading, which has anomalous behavior due to the singularities.
A stack of horizontal homogeneous elastic arbitrary anisotropic layers in welded contact in the long-wavelength limit is equivalent to an elastic anisotropic homogeneous medium. Such a medium is characterized by an effective average description adhering to previously derived closed-form formalism. We have used this formalism to study three different inhomogeneous orthorhombic (ORT) models that could represent real geologic scenarios. We have determined that a stack of thin orthorhombic layers with arbitrary azimuths of vertical symmetry planes can be approximated by an effective orthorhombic medium. The most suitable approach for this is to minimize the misfit between the effective anisotropic medium, monoclinic in that case, and the desirable orthorhombic medium. The second model is an interbedding of VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) layers with the same layers containing vertical fractures (shales are intrinsically anisotropic and often fractured). We have derived a weak-anisotropy approximation for important P-wave processing parameters as a function of the relative amount of the fractured lithology. To accurately characterize fractures, inversion for the fracture parameters should use a priori information on the relative amount of a fractured medium. However, we have determined that the cracks’ fluid saturation can be estimated without prior knowledge of the relative amount of the fractured layer. We have used field well-log data to demonstrate how fractures can be included in the interval of interest during upscaling. Finally, the third model that we have considered is a useful representation of tilted orthorhombic medium in the case of two-way propagation of seismic waves through it. We have derived a weak anisotropy approximation for traveltime parameters of the reflected P-wave that propagates through a stack of thin beds of tilted orthorhombic symmetry. The tilt of symmetry planes in an orthorhombic medium significantly affects the kinematics of the reflected P-wave and should be properly accounted for to avoid mispositioning of geologic structures in seismic imaging.
Existing and commonly used in industry nowadays, closed‐form approximations for a P‐wave reflection coefficient in transversely isotropic media are restricted to cases of a vertical and a horizontal transverse isotropy. However, field observations confirm the widespread presence of rock beds and fracture sets tilted with respect to a reflection boundary. These situations can be described by means of the transverse isotropy with an arbitrary orientation of the symmetry axis, known as tilted transversely isotropic media. In order to study the influence of the anisotropy parameters and the orientation of the symmetry axis on P‐wave reflection amplitudes, a linearised 3D P‐wave reflection coefficient at a planar weak‐contrast interface separating two weakly anisotropic tilted tranversely isotropic half‐spaces is derived. The approximation is a function of the incidence phase angle, the anisotropy parameters, and symmetry axes tilt and azimuth angles in both media above and below the interface. The expression takes the form of the well‐known amplitude‐versus‐offset “Shuey‐type” equation and confirms that the influence of the tilt and the azimuth of the symmetry axis on the P‐wave reflection coefficient even for a weakly anisotropic medium is strong and cannot be neglected. There are no assumptions made on the symmetry‐axis orientation angles in both half‐spaces above and below the interface. The proposed approximation can be used for inversion for the model parameters, including the orientation of the symmetry axes. Obtained amplitude‐versus‐offset attributes converge to well‐known approximations for vertical and horizontal transverse isotropic media derived by Rüger in corresponding limits. Comparison with numerical solution demonstrates good accuracy.
Based on the rotation of a slowness surface in anisotropic media, we have derived a set of mapping operators that establishes a point-to-point correspondence for the traveltime and relative-geometric-spreading surfaces between these calculated in nonrotated and rotated media. The mapping approach allows one to efficiently obtain the aforementioned surfaces in a rotated anisotropic medium from precomputed surfaces in the nonrotated medium. The process consists of two steps: calculation of a necessary kinematic attribute in a nonrotated, e.g., orthorhombic (ORT), medium, and subsequent mapping of the obtained values to a transformed, e.g., rotated ORT, medium. The operators we obtained are applicable to anisotropic media of any type; they are 3D and are expressed through a general form of the transformation matrix. The mapping equations can be used to develop moveout and relative-geometric-spreading approximations in rotated anisotropic media from existing approximations in nonrotated media. Although our operators are derived in case of a homogeneous medium and for a one-way propagation only, we discuss their extension to vertically heterogeneous media and to reflected (and converted) waves.
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